Burning smell and smoke

[justin0469]

While I am driving, I can smell this burning smell, almost overwheliming. Sometimes while stopped, I can see smoke. I have opened the hood after driving and after experiencing these problems to watch for smoke, but I can never see any. I do not think it is related but randomly when slowing down or stopping, the car will almost stall then pick back up and be fine. The CEL comes on when it is about to stall, but no other lights that normall come on when it stalls or before you start a car, but then goes away once it picks back up. I never see my temp gauge go up at all so I don't think it is a cooland leak. What should I check?

Justin

 

[1993eclipseGS]

What color is the smoke?

 

[justin0469]

It is not very thick at all so I can't tell if its blue or white. I know blue means oil and white means water...

 

[1993eclipseGS]

You can possibly do a compression test to see if the numbers are fine. Is it smoking only at idle? It could be valve stem seals, Work rings etc.. As for the dying down when coming to a stop in neutral or with the clutch in, Is your bov vented incorrectly?

 

[justin0469]

It is vented but I have a GM MAF.I only see smoke at idle but I was thinking it might be because while I am moving, the smoke can't billow up, it just dissapates in the wind.

 

[slipstream808]

What does free-revving it do?

 

[justin0469]

I let it run just now until the fans came on, revving it while I was waiting and I can't even get it to smoke. Tomorrow during the day I will see what happens, since it seems like it usually happens after extended drives on the highway.

 

[1993eclipseGS]

I noticed you had a 50trim. Make sure the steelbraided return line is not kinked. A kinked return line can cause the car to smoke. Also, Check the turbo for shaft play, It could be the seals.

 

[1993eclipseGS]

As for the overheating problem, I suggest doing a compression test to make sure you didn'g pop the headgasket.

 

[justin0469]

I said I don't think it is an overheating problem because my temp gauge never goes up.

 

[justin0469]

Ok so I finally got it somewhat narrowed down. The smoke comes after a rev of the engine, and comes up by the alternator and PS pump (my alternator is not enjoying the heat at all and is starting to give up on keeping voltage at a reasonable level). The smoke miiiight be blue but not quite as obviously blue as I usually see when oil burns. Unfourtunately, the underside of the car has a decent covering of old dirty oil caked up on that half of the car because the previous owner had a front seal leak and didnt see a problem with just adding more oil every day....

How would I narrow down where this is coming from? I can't think of anything that could leak in that area other then oil. It is not a sweet smell like coolant. The previous owner made a ghetto gasket with gobs of RTV on the oil pan that might have given out and is spraying oil....

 

[justin0469]

So it is definately oil burning, and now it also comes out of tail pipe sometimes.... could it still just be a leaking oil pan gasket?

 

[justin0469]

I noticed you had a 50trim. Make sure the steelbraided return line is not kinked. A kinked return line can cause the car to smoke. Also, Check the turbo for shaft play, It could be the seals.

No shaft play, couldnt move it in, out, left or right, just spins like its is supposed to.

 

[justin0469]

And I just did a compression test (cold engine though) 180-170-155-170, 155 is within 10% of 170 so are those numbers ok?

 

[1993eclipseGS]

The engine needs to be at operating tempature, Then perform the compression test. I do not know why no one is helping you in this thread!

 

[justin0469]

Ya, me either, I appreciate your help though. Tomorrow I will have time to let it warm up and then do a compression check. I read in the service manual that service limit is 133 but cylinders should not be more then 14psi difference, I will keep that in mind tomorrow.

And out of curiosity, how would a kinked return line cause smoke? Since the oil can't return, it builds pressure and pushes through the seals on the turbo? I am trying to figure out why I am seeing smoke from by the alternator/oil filter area AND in the exhaust... I don't see any oil dripping or oil spots where I park overnight. The oil pan gasket problem would explain the smoke from that area but how would that cause smoke in the exhaust?

 

[justin0469]

So warm engine compression results were even better 165-170-160-165. So now what?

 

[justin0469]

Anyone?

 

[oldman]

Valve stem seals.

 

[justin0469]

How do I check that?

 

[oldman]

How do I check that?

1. Pull both intake and exhaust manifold and check the top of the intake and exhaust runners for signs of oil leakage.

Or

2. Perform a boost leak test with the valve cover off to check intake valve seals, flip the leak tester to your taipipe and check your exhaust valve seals.

 

[justin0469]

Thanks, hopefully I will have time to do that soon. When I do the leak testing, I just listen for signs of a leak or am I looking for something? And where do I get new valve stem seals?

And I dont know if this helps at all but it seems like the smoke from the tailpipe usually comes if I go over a huge bump or around a curve fairly quickly.

 

[oldman]

Thanks, hopefully I will have time to do that soon. When I do the leak testing, I just listen for signs of a leak or am I looking for something? And where do I get new valve stem seals?

If the leaks are big enough, you should be able to feel it leaking out of the valve/spring areas, if not, pour some oil over it. You can pick up valve seals at the dealership or any of our sponsored vendors who sells engine parts, you will need to pull the head or use a special tool (miller's tool) to change them in the car.

 

[justin0469]

Hm the more I found out, the more involved this gets. Is there a step by step procedure somewhere? Do I have to get any other special tools to remove anything or set anything or is it all just take things out, pull out the seal, put new one in and put it back together how you found it using standard sockets, wrenches or screwdrivers?

 

[oldman]

Hm the more I found out, the more involved this gets. Is there a step by step procedure somewhere? Do I have to get any other special tools to remove anything or set anything or is it all just take things out, pull out the seal, put new one in and put it back together how you found it using standard sockets, wrenches or screwdrivers?

It is very involved, even if you have the head off the car (timing belt job), you will have to make your own spring compressor as most ones out in the market will not work with our head due to design of the head. Why don't you verified it is the valves seals before you drive yourself crazy. But if you want to read about it, here it is.

http://www.vfaq.com/mods/Valvespring-seals.html